Calendar of Events - New England Dressage Association

Dressage horses work hard, and as riders, you are often the first to notice when something just doesn’t feel quite right—maybe a stiffness, unevenness, or a change in attitude. This is the time we should take action to support our horses. In this talk, Dr. Fred Nostrant will explain how acupuncture and chiropractic therapies can help support comfort, soundness, and ease of movement in the dressage horse.

Using clear, real-world examples, Dr. Nostrant will break down how these therapies work, when they’re most useful, and how they fit alongside regular veterinary care, training, and farriery. The focus will be on helping riders recognize subtle signs of discomfort and understand how addressing small issues early can help keep horses feeling good and enjoying their work.

This session is designed to give riders a better understanding of what these therapies can (and can’t) do, and how they can be thoughtfully incorporated into a horse’s regular care to help keep them comfortable, happy, and performing at their best.

This session is sponsored by LandVest!

Rebecca Hart got involved with the Paralympic movement in 1998 at a regional competition in Atlanta, Ga. It was at that competition that Hart decided she wanted to aim for international competition. Hart purchased her first horse and began to train for national and international competition. Over the years, Hart has represented the U.S. at several international events, including five consecutive Paralympic Games. Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games led to her best team finish yet, as a member of the bronze medal-winning U.S. team aboard El Corona Texel.

Following a series of standout accomplishments with Schroeter's Romani, Hart retired the Danish Warmblood mare and teamed up with El Corona Texel in September 2017. They quickly garnered 11 Grade III first-place finishes out of 13 opportunities, which helped them earn a spot on the U.S. Para Dressage Team presented by Deloitte for the WEG Tryon 2018.

Hart and El Corona Texel were selected to represent the Adequan® U.S. Para Dressage Team at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival 1 CPEDI3* in Wellington, Fla., in January of 2020. The duo was also named to represent the team at the Tryon CPEDI3* hosted in Tryon, N.C. in October 2020, where they also were crowned the national champions of the 2020 Adequan/USEF Para Dressage National Championship.

In 2021, Hart and Fortune 500 earned a Perrigo CPEDI3* team win and finished first in the Grade III Individual Test at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival 3. Hart partnered with El Corona Texel to collect another Perrigo CPEDI3* team win at the AGDF 9. At the Perrigo Tryon Summer Dressage CPEDI3*, Hart won the team competition and each of the Grade III classes, riding El Corona Texel and Fortune 500.

In 2022, Hart was a member of the Adequan U.S. Para Dressage Team that traveled to Herning, Denmark for the 2022 FEI Para Dressage World Championships where she helped the team earn bronze with El Corona Texel. The duo also secured an individual bronze in Herning, marking their third fourth championship medal together. 

In 2024, Hart debuted a new horse in her quest to make her fifth straight Paralympic Games, this time aboard Floratina. The pair have proved to be one of the top combinations in Grade III competition, earning tremendous scores since the start of their partnership in 2023. Hart and Floratina represented the U.S. Paralympic Equestrian Team at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, where they brought home an impressive and historic medal haul. They secured individual gold in the Grade III Individual Test and Grade III Individual Freestyle, as well as gold in the team event.

Rebecca is the daughter of Sue Dobson and Terry Hart. She has one sister, Katie, and one brother, Jordan. In her free time, Hart enjoys kayaking, sailing, camping and rock climbing, and giving back to the Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia Foundation by bringing awareness about HSP and working with the children dealing with HSP.

The NEDA Know How webinar series runs every Thursday evening from 7:30pm-8:30pm in January, February, and March. NEDA members can access previously recorded sessions under the "multimedia" dropdown in their member portal.

Session facilitated by NEDA's Director of Competitions, Kari Cincotta.

Sue McKeown has been involved with Dressage for over forty years, first as a competitor, and then as a Competition Secretary and Manager.  Sue earned her Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medals on her two Swedish Warmbloods, and truly enjoyed all aspects of training and showing as an Adult Amateur.  Sue has been a Secretary and/or Manager for over a hundred shows in the New England area, including as Manager of the 2019 Region 8 Championships, Secretary for the 2022 Region 8 Championships, and the Assistant Show Secretary for the US Dressage Finals for the past several years. She is currently serving her third 3-year term as the USDF Technical Council At Large Director.

The NEDA Know How webinar series runs every Thursday evening from 7:30pm-8:30pm in January, February, and March. NEDA members can access previously recorded sessions under the "multimedia" dropdown in their member portal.

This session is sponsored by LandVest:

Knowledge. Service. Results. 

We solve the hard problems. The challenges others step away from. The ones that demand experience, foresight, and collaboration at the highest level. We show up early, listen more attentively, ask better questions, and act when it counts.

Our edge is collaboration—our culture is characterized by curiosity, selfless support of one another, and the sharing of expertise earned over decades. That’s how we see around corners and deliver outcomes others can’t.

Luxury is not a price point; it’s our level of service. It’s the professionalism brought to each task, regardless of the scope. It means a steady hand during the tough calls, the plain-spoken counsel of a confidant, and carrying every detail across the finish line. We simply do more than others are willing or able to. That’s why our results are built to last for generations.

Laurian Pope is an equine and human bodyworker specializing in Myofascial Release and Craniosacral Release. A lifetime horse enthusiast, Laurian has spent nearly three decades both in and out of the saddle, amassing horsemanship skills that lend themselves to success in her bodywork practice. Those skills, combined with numerous professional certifications and an innate calming energy, allow Laurian to excel in her field, where her paramount goal is to help horses and riders feel their absolute best.

Laurian serves horses and riders of all levels and disciplines, from the grassroots through upper level competitors. Laurian is comfortable working with all genders, breeds, personalities, and collaborates with clients to help them achieve their best through bodywork. 

Laurian believes that if we take the time to listen and treat our bodies, and that of our equine partners, the result is the ability to spend more time doing what we love and less time fighting with a restricted form.  
Laurian has competed through Preliminary level Eventing, and is a member of both Norfolk Hunt (MA) and Aiken Hounds (SC). Through her time eventing and foxhunting, Laurian learned how a flexible and balanced system can greatly improve the performance and quality of life of our equine partners. With this innate understanding of both human and equine kinesthetics, she decided to become a bodyworker for horses and riders.

Laurian’s transition from equestrian to bodyworker began when she met her mentor, Sharon Taylor, a renowned Equine Physical Therapist in the New England area. After two years of shadowing Sharon, Laurian became certified in Equine Manual Therapy. Additional accreditation was achieved at Cortiva Institute for Massage Therapy. Upon completion, Laurian became a licensed therapist for humans in both Massachusetts and South Carolina. In 2013, Laurian received her National Certification, after which she started her business, Freedom of Movement, which has grown exponentially ever since. Laurian has a tireless commitment to continuing education—she is constantly furthering her human and equine bodywork education through all available modalities. She most recently completed her expert level Myofascial Release certification in October of 2023.

The NEDA Know How webinar series runs every Thursday evening from 7:30pm-8:30pm in January, February, and March. NEDA members can access previously recorded sessions under the "multimedia" dropdown in their member portal.